The Lady or the Tiger  The Door or the Noose?
by januaryfreeze92
Summary: An ending to the short story THE LADY OR THE TIGER originally a homework assignment with an added Erik twist. I thought it sounded good. Read it. It's short. Rated for a death by broken neck.


**This was originally a homework assignment. The assignment was to write an ending for "The Lady or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton (a short story) and the idea popped into my head – ERIK!!! So if you read the short story go ahead and read this. If not… Who cares? Lol. **

**DON'T STEAL IT.**

**Some facts in hear may be wrong, I didn't finish "Phantom" by Susan Kay yet.**

The Lady or the Tiger?

The Door or the Noose?

By januaryfreeze92

Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right and opened it.

In that moment, time seemed to stand still for Cambria as she watched her young lover reach for the small brass door knob to the broad right door. The audience was silent when his fingers brushed against the cold, hard metal and with sudden relief over the decision, he yanked the door.

But the door wouldn't budge. In dumb disbelief Eleazar continued to pull on the door. He then started to push the door. Shaking his head, he turned to the door to the left and pulled and pushed; that door was locked as well.

"What game are you playing?" The Shah's voice called out to him. Living in the Kingdom since he was five years old, Eleazar knew the sick and twisted enjoyment the King took in watching people suffer. Eleazar did not answer. Instead he turned back to the right door and defiantly kept trying to open it. He knew the Shah had something in mind, and that it wouldn't end well for him. After a few more moments of pushing and pulling, the deep and booming voice called out again, "Enough of this." The voice was as calm as the sea at low tide and as smooth as velvet. For the first time in Eleazar's life, he truly wished that he had never moved to this horrid land.

"My dear boy, do you truly think I would let you off that easily?" The smile on the Shah's face mocked him, and a shiver of disgust traveled down Eleazar's spine.

"You would have picked the lion anyway," He said lightly and like a young, exuberant child on Christmas. Eleazar then heard the Shah call out, "Summon the executioner."

The applause thundered again, and he looked to Cambria in disbelief and saw that she was as surprised as he was. She was certainly not responsible for his dire fate. Eleazar believed that she pointed him to the young maiden, however painful it might have been for her and he was touched by the sentiment and filled with sorrow knowing that he would never see her again

The shouting and cheering stopped as suddenly as it had begun when the door at the other end of the stadium opened and a dark figure stepped in. His wide brimmed hat covered all his face but his pale, non-existent lips. He wore a black cloak. Underneath the cloak he wore a dress suit, as if he was on his way to a formal occasion. In his right hand he carried a noose – The infamous Punjab lasso. Eleazar looked up to the man as he came closer, and finally saw the last face he would ever see. The executioner just smiled and the death's head contorted into a nightmarish visage.

--- --- --- --- ---

_Snap._

It ended almost as soon as it had begun. It didn't matter if the boy ran, it never did. It almost always ended quickly. The quiet snap of a broken neck seemed loud in the silence. No one cheered. It had all happened so fast that the people weren't sure what to do and only looked up at their ruler who was smiling wickedly - not very different from the cat that had eaten the canary.

After walking up to the now dead, young man and retrieving his cat-gut, the executioner turned back to his King and bowed deeply. He had not uttered a word since he had entered the arena and the people were surprised when the executioner called out, "Your Highness." That voice was almost as alluring and powerful as that of the man sitting on the throne. And then he walked out gracefully, closing the door behind him.

"Father," Cambria asked, her face still pale, "I thought the lion was behind the left door?" She asked him weakly, with tears in her eyes.

With glee the King responded, "Oh, it still is."


End file.
